The sun never ceased to shine. Or at least that was the image accompanying my memories of Anaheim. No matter what the season, the weather was always warm with a golden hue cast on the park. However, all my preconceived notions of Disneyland being its own self-sufficient bubble of perfection, and spotless blue skies, were broken as I sojourned to The Happiest Place On Earth to celebrate her 50th birthday.

We left Sacramento around 1 in the afternoon, and did not make it to the Fairfield Marriott until ALMOST 9:30! Traffic was horrendous, not to mention my mom and sister's tempers in the car. That evening we strolled through Downtown Disney and ate at the Rainforest Café, who was very short-staffed and had almost no tables bussed. As we walked around, little sprinkles of condensation hit my cheek. Interesting, I thought, believing it to simply be the humidity of the town.

However, this was not the case. The next morning, it was cloudy, drizzly, but still warm. All in all, I quite enjoyed the occult weather. It created a whole different atmosphere. A little dark, a little gloomy, a little Nightmare Before Christmas-esque. The perfect temper for an October, pre-Halloween trip.

The Big 5 0 and how glorious Disneyland can still be after turning half a century

The 50th celebration began at the hotel, where posters wishing Disneyland a happy homecoming eased the cramped elevator rides, and the party never ended until we left Anaheim to sojourn back home to Sacramento. On our first morning, I couldn't have been more ready to explore Disney and all its 50th anniversary extravagances. I couldn't have been more satisfied.

Imagineers outdid themselves for the yearlong gala. Hidden 50th Mickeys were surreptitiously placed throughout the park, from the lampposts to the side of Splash Mountain. The pictorial murals were amazing. To imagine the painstaking detail that drove such a project! Disneyland felt clean, refreshed, and younger than ever. Newly renovated buildings resonated and made the whole park glow, despite the gray skies.

The new 50th productions were astounding as well. At first, I was a bit apprehensive about Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years. I always enjoyed Great Moment With Mr. Lincoln, and was unsure what to expect. However, this attraction transgressed all my expectations for it and more! The exhibit before the show was incredible. I didn't get to finish reading all the old newspaper clippings, details of each land and their progress, and the vast replica of early Disneyland on my first visit, so I had to go back after the movie, which was witty (Donald and Martin work well together) and touching.

Seeing Walt's happy little grin and hearing his soothing voice brought a tear to my eye, as hackneyed as that sounds.

As delightful as The First 50 Years was, it could not compare to the impressing fireworks display: Remember…Dreams Come True. It's as if Tinkerbelle flew down and took my breath away during the show. My mom, sister, and I got lucky and had a glorious view, right in front of the castle. I loved the concept of having Disney classic rides creating the soundtrack, and having each fireworks segment correlate to the theme of the ride. And then there was the castle! My favorite sequences were the Haunted Mansion segment, when the castle turned deep red and pulsated to the Bride's heart, and the Star Wars production with the green light show. It was awe-inspiring, and awe-mazing!

Welcome Back, Space Mountain, and Nice to Meet You, Astro Blasters!

Space Mountain is back back back! My sister and I got to hop aboard in the front of the cockpit, and enjoy the great new effects. The spacey hum in the queue area first got my heart beating, then strapping in, and enjoying the brand new soundtrack. As we climbed the peak, I knew this ride was going to be better than ever before. And boy was I right. Space Mountain, though the track remains the same, was like riding a whole new roller coaster. The new special effects were great, and I just had to ride it about 5 times!

Astro Blasters also proved to be a great, addicting ride. I couldn't get enough blasting, although I never broke 25, 000. E-mailing your pictures was a great touch as well. Way to keep up with 21st century technology, Disney!

Sportin' the Logo

The second day of our trip, as we skipped around DCA and DL, I wore the lovely "Team MickeyNews" shirt. I got a few double takes, a couple whispers here and there. I must say I pretended to be behind the scenes, on the spot.

Walking around holding my notebook with a pen in my back pocket, I felt pretty important in my breathable cotton, white MickeyNews shirt!

The Ups and Downs

As with every trip, there are always the pros and cons. Luckily, this trip's "pros" far outweighed the "cons." To be nitpicky, the only cons were the never-ending struggle with Strollers scarring up the backs of my heels or dead aiming to crash into me (it makes you wonder how these parents have driver's licenses if they can't even drive a stroller straight!!), and drunken people. If you are planning to have a few drinks, please go party it up at the disco, not in Disneyland! More than once I saw a couple parties of public drunkenness. Isn't that illegal?

Also, it wouldn't hurt if Disney got a bit more diverse with their menu.

True, Disneyland is the "All American Dream" park, filled with corn dogs and hamburgers, soda and cookies, but it's tough for the health freaks and vegetarians living among us. If you are practicing these eating habits, as I do, my advice is to pack lunches and snacks. Always come prepared with a bag of trail mix and some cottage cheese!

No matter how many drunk people run through the park screaming, "It's my birthday!" or how many turkey legs were being sold on Main Street, nothing could dampen the excellent trip I had. It was a truly enjoyable stay, and I'm hoping to come back in December!